Evernote Mobile Site Optimized for Android

Evernote is a service that enables you to capture information, no matter where you are, what you are doing, and whether you have a smartphone or computer. Use software, browser plug-ins, and even your phone's camera, for creating and sharing notes or photos with others and as reminders for yourself.

Not only is Evernote a great service for capturing your information, but it's even better with a mobile site that's been recently optimized for Android phones. This Android optimization makes it easier for G1 users to create, search, read, and share notes and photos.

If an Android-optimized mobile site isn't enough, Evernote is planning on releasing an Android app in the future. Rolling with the green 'droid just gets better and better!

HTC Doubles Workforce, Focusing on Android Phones?

HTC, maker of the G1 and the upcoming Magic, is currently the only "real" player in the Android game. No other bigwig company has officially announced anything so it should be no surprise to us that HTC is quite smitten with our Android.

How smitten? Well, even in our current economic state, reports show that HTC has increased their workforce by 46% and it wouldn't be a far off guess that most of the new workforce will revolve around Android.

Even more so, an analyst speculates that HTC will release FIVE new Android phones this year. We're definitely crossing our fingers for that to come true! What do you guys think? Will HTC become the most important Android phone maker? Or is it already?

Android Mobile Browser Share Fourth Overall

Our sister site the iPhone Blog dug up a great graph that charts the usage of mobile web browsers. Unsurprisingly, they bragged about their iPhone dominating the market but it's interesting to note that Android is coming up fairly quickly considering it only released in October of last year and is on the smallest carrier in the United States.

It'll soon outpace Windows Mobile and we wouldn't be too surprised if it took a solid 2nd place in the near future. The Android web browser is effective at rendering pages and also easy to use, there's no question it's one of the better mobile browsers on the market. As Android grows, so will its browser marketshare.

T-Mobile Loyalty Unlimited Plan Goes National

Remember those unlimited voice plans from T-Mobile? Well, they're real. $49.99/month for unlimited voice on a single line and $89.99/month on a two-line family plan. The add-on's are pretty sweet too with $24.99 unlimited data and $9.99 unlimited messaging, all in all it seems like a very good deal for those interested in unlimited plans.

The fine print says that you have to be a T-Mobile customer for 22+ months in order to qualify and have a reliable payment history. Who knows what reliable means. Did anyone get this yet? Is anyone going to? Let us know!

New T-Mobile G1 Commercial Leaves Steve Speechless

We've seen this new T-Mobile G1 commercial on TV lately but it just recently popped up on T-Mobile's youtube channel for everyone's viewing pleasure. While the first G1 commercial focused on what the G1 can do, this spot sheds light on all the positive reviews that the G1 has been receiving. You get quotables from all the bigwigs like PC World, Gizmodo, GQ, the LA Times and Time.com effusing praise for the G1.

What's most interesting and hilarious is the subtle jab at a particular Steve who is speechless about the G1. His quote in the commercial:

" " -Steve

Is this Steve Jobs? Steve Ballmer? Perhaps both!? Let us know who you think 'Steve' is.

Running Windows and Android Simultaneously with VMWare

Although this is a video of a Nokia N800, which isn't even a smartphone, VMWare's MVP hypervisor virtual machine is enabling it to run both Windows and Android simultaneously. The virtual machine runs in the background of the native OS and allows a user to install different OSes as applications, then run them at the same time, if desired.

According to VMWare, the MVP is headed for smartphones sometime in the near future. The challenge they may face is the fact that they must partner with smartphone manufacturers and persuade them to install hypervisor on their handsets in order for MVP to work. It's difficult to imagine handset manufacturers wanting to open their device to multiple OSes, but then again, it could expand market appeal without adding much cost, if any. Would you want a handset enabled to run several OSes?

German G1 Users Getting RC9 Update, Very Similar To RC33

According to modmyGphone, we have news that German G1 Users are receiving the RC9 Firmware Update which is supposedly very similar to our RC33 Update. The UK still seems to be left out but it's in its testing phase and should roll out soon.

Again, if you're sick and tired of waiting for RC33 to come be sure to check out our great how-to article on how to update HERE. The RC9 package can be found here.

Plain Ol' LG KS360 is LG's First Android Phone ?

Here at Android Central we lament the fact that there are no Android Devices other than the G1. The original promise of hundreds of different Android Devices has yet to be realized and well, it's very disappointing to say the least. But is this LG offering any better?

So is this the road that Android might take? Will we see multiple tiers of phone models? Going form basic featurephones to higher end smartphones? Won't this confuse the Android user? A phone with no GPS and Wi-Fi can hardly take advantage of the Google's location based services. Or could we see the same body and form factor with different hardware specs?

CrackBerry's Birthday festivities overshadowed the news this week and if you hurry you might be able to get in on some contests. Most contest draws end tonight (Sunday night) at Midnight PST. You can click here for the full list of CrackBerry contests (including a new BlackBerry Curve 8900 custom painted by ColorWare!). As for actual BlackBerry news, there is excitement over the CDMA version of the Bold thanks to new details emerging and Mac + BlackBerry users have a new media syncing with doubleTwist!

At TreoCentral we heard that for the 2nd time in 2009, Deutsche Bank analyst Jonathan Goldberg raised his rating on PALM, this time bumping it us to a Buy. There was an interesting Smartphone Experts Roundtable Podcast in which the editors discussed Mobile World Congress 2009. Plus, we heard that the CDMA Treo Pro has been officially released on Bell Canada, while Sprint customers here in the states are still waiting for the smartphone. A post in the forums does give a bit of hope for a 3/15 release though.

Review: Mobi Products Skin Case for G1

Cases for our beloved smartphones are a way to personalize our mass-produced device, and there are a variety of them available. Slider phones, like the T-Mobile G1, present a challenge to case-makers to make a case that protects the phone but still provides unfettered functionality of the slide-out keyboard. Mobi Products Skin Case for the T-Mobile G1, available here in the Android Central Store for $14.95, is a Silicone "skin" case that can help you personalize your G1 while protecting it at the same time. It accommodates the G1's slide-out keyboard and is available in four colors: black, blue, red and pink. I selected the black case for this review and you can see what I think of this case after the break!

Case Design

The are four reasons I can think of to use a skin case for your smartphone: 1) protect your phone from bumps and scratches; 2) add as little bulk to the phone as possible while still protecting it; 3) more grip in your hand and when resting on other surfaces; and 4) add some color and style to your phone. Given that the G1 has a slide-out keyboard, Mobi Products has taken on the challenge to design a thin Silicone case that still allows the slider to slide.

The Mobi Skin case is made of thin Silicone with an anti-dust coating. There are cutouts for access to the trackball on the front, the charging/syncing port on the bottom, the mic, the camera lens and speaker on the back, and the screen and slide-out keyboard are fully accessible.

There is also a cutaway for access to the memory card door, a compromise that provides much easier access to the memory card slot but, in my opinion, compromises the fit of the case in a slightly irritating way. By leaving a gap for the memory card door, the flap of Silicone covering the bottom of the G1 peels back too easily for my liking. I would have preferred a complete covering on the left, over the door, identical to the right side. This would be better for me because I don't ever access the memory card - I just slap a high-capacity card in and forget about it. Others who may swap cards all the time will likely not be bothered by this cutout. The pictures I have included give the case a silvery look due to camera flash, but in fact the case is very black.

Instead of cutouts for the buttons and volume rocker, Mobi has designed generously-raised surfaces to easily press the buttons and adjust the volume. I think they did a great job with this and is one thing I really like about the case.

The way Mobi handled the slide-out keyboard is creative. In order to secure the case to the top of the phone and still allow unfettered sliding, Mobi implemented a very thin band of material that still fits under the sliding mechanism.

Usability

The Mobi Skin case for G1 has a soft satin feel, likely due the the anti-dust component applied to the case. It still has a grippy feel in the hand, making it easier to keep hold of your G1 and help prevent accidental drops. The material of the case is thin and flexible, adding minimal bulk to your smartphone. The case must be applied a bit carefully and delicately on the top of the phone where the thin strap of material is positioned under the sliding screen.

Using my G1 is easy with the Mobi case on. The raised buttons are excellent and the trackball functions flawlessly. I was concerned that the case might shift around a little bit when working the slider, but if used normally, the slider does not affect the case at all. Again, my only gripe is the less-secured flap of material at the bottom left where the material is cut away to give access to the memory card door. If this cutout was eliminated, I could give this case the highest marks.

Conclusion

Given the design of the G1, it's a challenge to create a case that protects and allows full functionality, and I think Mobi did a nice job here with a case that accommodates full function of the slider while still offering the G1 some protection, grippiness, and accessibility to all buttons and trackball. For the price, it's a very good case for your G1 and with four color options you can add some pizazz.

Pros

Full access to buttons, trackball, camera and slider

Adds grippiness, yet still a soft touch

Anti-dust coating

Four different colors

Cons

Cutaway for memory card door compromises secure fit on bottom

Android Central Rating: 4/5

Yuhua Announces Xphone-SDK Android

It was only in late January that we got a look at General Mobile's DSTL1 Android phone, and it was also displayed at the recent Mobile World Congress in Barcelona. Android users are anxious for more Android hardware, and Yuhua, a Chinese company also behind the DSTL1, says they are ready to deliver.

Their new Android phone that is ready for manufacture is the Xphone-SDK and it sports a 3-inch Sharp touchscreen, tri-band GPRS/EDGE radio, and a 3MP camera. Here are the specs:

Google Dev Phone = No Paid Apps

Just a few days ago, we reported that those with Google Developer phones (unlocked, root access) would not be able to buy certain apps in the Android Market. It appears there were some teeth to this report - big, sharp, ugly teeth, in fact. Allegedly due to concerns that apps would be easy to pirate with the Google Dev 1- which has full root access to raw files, or every file on the device - all paid apps cannot be purchased with the Dev 1 phone.

If Google doesn't take a couple steps back from this rigid position, there could be many a disgruntled Google Dev 1 customer, considering they forked out $400 for their Androidness. It will be interesting to see how (or if) Google responds to this issue, but until then, is there anyone out there with a Dev 1 that would care to comment?

More Information And Pictures On General Mobile's DSTL1

We had already showed you a first look on General Mobile's Android Device, the DSTL1. We're excited for General Mobile's offerings for three reasons: first, they look like they know how to design a phone. Second, the dual-sim capabilities is a fairly intriguing (yet niched) feature. And third, we want more Android devices already! Though the DSTL1 looks like a high end device, it kind of teeters back and forth between luxury and basic features. For example, the camera packs a punch. We're talking about 5 megapixels, autofocus, LED flash made by Sharp. There's also supposed to be video conferencing support as well. On the other hand, this is a EDGE only device that uses a resistive touchscreen. Yeah, color us confused. Luckily, General Mobile will be putting out more Android Devices in the future. Including the DSTL1, General Mobile has three Android Devices in development. It looks like the other 2 devices will have 3G connectivity, one of the devices will have a QWERTY keyboard and another a slim touchscreen. No details on availability yet. In any case, there's a ton of pictures of the DSTL1 after the break! Thanks for the tip Meraj! [photos via phonereport] The front face of the DSTL1 houses a WQVGA resistive touchscreen. It also has 2 send call and 2 end call buttons so you can control your different SIM cards with little hassle. You can see the edges and lines of the phone were carefully designed. It's definitely a sharp looking device that gives off a "high luxury" feel. Again, the lines are worth mentioning. This is pretty good design from a small unknown company. Here's a close up shot of the bottom of the phone. Has a resemblance to the AT&T Fuze, no? And there's the back of the phone with the 5.0 megapixel camera with autofocus and LED flash! I think aside from the styling, the camera is the DSTL1's best feature.

Reminder: TeleNav GPS Navigator Is Now Available

Just a reminder guys! TeleNav GPS Navigator for Android was made available to the public yesterday. You get turn-by-turn directions, 3D maps, millions of POI's, and traffic alerts in a potentially very useful application. We're still testing the software out for our review but in the meantime so far, so good!

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